How Accurate is Ordinary Angels? The True Story of Michelle Schmitt
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- čas přidán 1. 03. 2024
- In this episode, we compare the movie Ordinary Angels starring Hilary Swank and Alan Ritchson to the true story of hairdresser Sharon Stevens, who rallied a community to help a widowed father whose daughter, Michelle Schmitt, was in desperate need of a liver transplant. Ed Schmitt's daughter Michelle was born with biliary atresia, a rare disease that affects the liver. The real story behind Ordinary Angels reveals that Michelle Schmitt's older sister, Ashley Schmitt, was also born with biliary atresia and had previously undergone a liver transplant several years prior.
In this Ordinary Angels fact-check, we answer pertinent questions regarding the movie's historical accuracy: Was Sharon Stevens an alcoholic? Is Sharon's friend Rose based on a real person? Did Sharon Stevens get Ed Schmitt's late wife Theresa's hospital debt erased? Did Ed try to drive his daughter Michelle to the airport in the snowstorm? Find out how these questions and more compare to the Ordinary Angels true story.
To further answer the question, "Is Ordinary Angels accurate?' read our fact-check article on History vs. Hollywood: www.historyvshollywood.com/re...
I crewed that flight with Jason Smith. The aircraft was a CE550-066, N10JP. She was a great aircraft. Jackie Holloway was the chopper pilot who brought them to us. I think a military chopper took two wave-offs for whiteout, before Jackie went in to get her in the Jewish aircraft. Incredible pilot. Cut his teeth in Vietnam. The airport ground crew was outstanding! They cut us a taxiway through all that snow over a mile long, to the old runway 19. Had to take about two feet of snow off each wingtip before we could depart.
Thank you, sir for this...Thank you to all of you. God bless you all.
Growing up across the street from where the helicopter landing took place I can say that depiction of "people just showing up" due to call to action via the radio was very real. Family members and neighbors answered the call with shovels in hand. So did others from the neighborhoods around Southeast Christian Church. These were people who just went to help. The WHAS news clips capture this part well.
49 years ago this was my family. Minneapolis to Denver. Dr Thomas Starzl, surgeon. 6 of us left home, dad worked 2-3 jobs to house my mother in Denver. I was 12. So much to say here. No Alcohol, No snow storm. In real life...two liver transplants, one death, two of us lung affected. Our life. Alpha1Antritypsin Deficiency 💜 April 2023 liver transplant, 49 years post liver transplant. And all l is well
My parents will be married 70 years in May
The alcoholism adds a dramatic punch to the film that doesn’t hurt the story but also shows people caught in alcoholism there is hope and they can get beyond that problem and make their life count for something by reaching out and helping others.
Sharon is a absolutely beautiful woman and she is my sweet beautiful caring loving friend who I have known for over 14 years.. she is truly an angel.
I love her for what she did, what an amazing human
I had just saw this movie, and she is just an amazing and supportive woman. I can say that part on what she did to help was not that easy, but she did a fantastic job on making it happen. I live about 3 hours from Louisville and I know how bad snow storms are, but I’m so happy that little Michelle got her gift in time. As he said in the movie, she’s definitely a miracle!
Can’t believe they did that to her character with the drinking. There is a lot they could have done that didn’t dis on her.
I was thinking perhaps they could have fictionalized her character as a gambler, and she sacrificed or was taunted by using the money to gamble, however, overcame her habit by helping this baby. Instead they made her an alcoholic which she despised and said she would never be.
Just saw the movie today. Very good movie. Yea I mind of figured that not everything was accurate because in all movies they add or change things, but overall I enjoyed the movie. I'm so sad to hear that the girl ended up passing away as an adult ☹️.
Ty for posting!! Great job
Not only did the pastor not come up with the idea of using the church parking lot, but the man named as pastor, Dave Stone, would not become senior pastor until 2006, some 12 years after the events of the film. It was Bob Russel would have been senior pastor then in 1994. And despite the depiction in the film, the church was not a small, intimate, catholic/lutheran/episcopal-looking church. It was a megachurch at that point with several thousand people meeting every weekend.
Dave was indeed a pastor there, just not the head pastor until Pastor Bob retired. He was there at the parking lot that day, having gone to the church to work on his sermon. He gives a poignant and humble account in the book, "Ordinary Angels," and an inspiring close.
Pity that they made changes to Sharon Stevens' character. Nothing like ramping up the melodrama; it would've been nice to higlhight the source of Michele's transplant; other differences---minus dad's 11th panic drive in the storm---aren't really too egregious. Most of this is played on the surface--Grandma is just good hearted Grandma etc---but thanks to the performances--including the little daughters who a very natural---and a script that generally fills in just enough details--the movie works. But thanks for the info---one always suspects liberties are taken with fact-based films---but it's not always easy to figure out. Cheers!
Longer video format is great.
The movie was great! I understand that they needed some plus elements to make it more interesting otherwise it would feel like a documentary so it's fine but this video should be included at the end in case someone wanna know the real story :) Rip Michelle. Respect to the people who helped to give a woman about 30 years to her life
Its a very heartbreaking movie 😭
The saddest thing is not lying (normal for movies is to make them more interesting to watch) , but the harsh truth that capitalism does not know the word state helping for health - socialism. In case of an operation that saves the life or accident of citizens or tourists, the state ALWAYS organizes free transportation. This is left over from socialism (the former state of Yugoslavia...) here in Croatia. Healthcare must be FREE for severe cases!
Interesting
This movie depicts the bad state of private healthcare in the US. Instead of just relying on some people good hearts, healthcare should be state sponsor and be free for all children.
I absolutely agree with you! The US government is so very greedy. To think that a life is less than money is heartbreaking.
Terrible to depict someone as an Alcoholic and relationship with her son.
And?